Justice D.E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, July 17, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Aleburu Elvis to two years imprisonment.

Elvis was arrested recently at the Abule Egba area of Lagos by operatives of the EFCC, following credible intelligence on the activities of some internet fraudsters.

He was arraigned on Thursday on one -count charge bordering on cybercrime by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The count reads: “ That you, Aleburu Elvis, sometime 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently held out yourself on Facebook as Zhen Victor Wei, a Thai man with intent to gain advantage for yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition etc.) Act, 2015.”

He pleaded “guilty” to the charge preferred against him.

Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, A.A.Usman, called on John Emmanuel Keri, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case .

Keri told the court that the defendant was arrested sometime in June 4, 2025, following credible intelligence received by the Commission on the activities of a syndicate of internet fraudsters operating in an estate at the Abule Egba area of Lagos State.

According to him, an iPhone 16 and a Dell laptop were recovered from him at the point of arrest.

“Upon his arrest, he was duly processed and the defendant volunteered his statements under words of caution.

“Investigations were conducted and forensic evidence were printed out from his phone.

“In his statement, he confessed he was into a dating scam and that he had benefited the sum of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira).

He also told the court that the defendant restituted the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira( N100,000) by tendering a bank draft.

Usman, thereafter, tendered in evidence the defendant’s extrajudicial statements, iPhone 16 , Dell laptop and forensic investigation documents.

They were all admitted as exhibits by the court.

The Judge, consequently, convicted and sentenced him to two years imprisonment, with an option of fine of N200,000( Two Hundred Thousand Naira).

The judge also ordered that the ₦100,000 bank draft, iPhone 16, and Dell laptop be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Elvis’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested for internet fraud. He was charged to court and jailed.